Overdose
by Showjumperstar
Summary: Something is affecting the local Machines; they become aggressive and it eventually turns into a kill or be killed scenario worldwide. Some new characters arrive in the area, and things turn into something that could only be seen in the movies. T for future violent scenes, character death...and unpleasantness.
1. Chapter 1

"So tell me again why we have to be up at o three hundred?" Speed asked sarcastically, followed by a yawn. I chuckled along with Kevin as we loaded the horses onto the trailer. We had to be on set in LA at eight in the morning and leaving at three was the best way to ensure we would get there in time. The air was cool, but it was welcoming especially since the forecast called for ninety degrees later in the day.

"…and then we'll break for lunch. Oh hey, glad you could miss the entire schedule run through!" Zoe said as I climbed into Speed's cab. While Kevin and I loaded the horses, she made sure the paperwork was in order. Kevin shouted a "goodbye" as we rolled down the quiet driveway.

"Well at least the Machine's up to par with what's happening," Speed stated proudly. He turned onto the empty highway and soon enough the quiet freeway.

OOOOOOOO

Zoe, Speed, and I kept occupied by playing "I Spy". An hour into the drive and it was clear we were all bored. Everything seemed funny, and we were running out of things to "spy" on.

"I spy something long," Speed said.

"The road," I said, laughing. "My turn! I spy something black."

"The road," Zoe guessed. "I spy someone who is boooored."

"I spy two humans and a truck who are bored," Speed stated.

"Maybe that semi we passed an hour ago had two passengers with him?" Zoe suggested.

"Speeeed, are we there yet?" I whined. It was still tough not being the driver; it kept me occupied on long drives. I was slowly getting used to it though…on the shorter drives.

"I'm tiiiired," Zoe mimicked.

"Don't make me turn around," he warned playfully.

OOOOOOOO

Zoe and I entertained each other through the Grapevine by reading lines from the commercial in different accents and voices. Speed quieted down to focus on the haul, but he would chuckle on occasion. This was probably the toughest part of the trip; the pass was a steady, long grade that tested all vehicles. I kept sneaking peeks at the odometer, making sure he was doing okay.

OOOOOOOO

"The stage is three buildings up on the left," I told Speed as he turned onto the lot. LA was in shambles after the Change, and two years later, there was still scarring from the battle between the Machines and humans to claim or rather reclaim the city. Many films that involved the ranch were put on hold until a few years later; now that things had calmed down, all of the old contracts were rewritten and business was back to normal almost instantly.

"You guys are early!" Sam, the director, cheered as we stepped down from Speed's cab. I shook his eager hand and walked to the trailer door to let the three horses out.

"We wanted to be here early so we could make sure these guys had a chance to stretch their legs," I explained as I grabbed the lead rope of King, a Friesian stallion, and off-loaded him from the trailer. The other two were grey Andalusian stallions who were playing the same role. The commercial was set during medieval times.

"Perfect! Are they all ready to be stars…again?"

"I think so. It's been a while since they've been on the big screen, but I think we'll do just fine," I stated as I pat King's glossy neck. Zoe snuck in behind us to lead the other horses off of the trailer.

OOOOOOOO

The commercial shoot went smoothly and Zoe and I were loading the horses up just before dinnertime. Speed managed to find a shady spot large enough for him and the trailer, and took a nap while we were on set.

"You doin' okay?" I asked him. I yawned right after asking. He gave me a sleepy smile.

"I'm good. Are you doin' okay?" he countered. I nudged him playfully with a giggle and went back to sign some paperwork I had forgotten to sign.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I got a text from Maya inviting us out there this weekend!" Zoe announced as I walked by.

"Reply back that we'll be there! If I remember correctly, Lightning's done with racing season and coming home. Must mean he's coming home this weekend."

"I'm in!" Speed called.

OOOOOOOO

It was well into the evening by the time the gate welcomed us home. Zoe and I put the horses away in their stalls, unhooked Speed from the trailer, and agreed to clean it out the next day.

"See you in the morning?" Speed asked tiredly as we entered the garage. I stepped down from his cab and stretched.

"No, sleep in. You worked hard today. Thank you for helping, it really…well…helps!" I said with a tired giggle. He chuckled and nuzzled me before closing his eyes and instantly falling asleep. _Wish I could fall asleep that fast_, I mused. I slipped into the dark house and after whispering calming phrases to my whining German Shepherd, I managed to make it to my room without Kelly waking up.

OOOOOOOOO

I woke up sore from riding to and from LA and from sleeping in a questionable position. I must have fallen asleep faster than I could reach the pillow. Without so much as poking my head out of my room to see my sister, I took a hot shower and massaged my achy muscles.

"Knock knock," Kelly's voice announced through the bedroom door. I finished pulling on a T-shirt and opened the door. She held out a mug of coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs and sausage.

"You're awesome," I said, taking the breakfast gratefully.

"Speed said that yesterday wiped everyone out. You'll get back into the swing of things though." I nodded in agreement and made my way to the dining room table.

"Is he up?"

"He wasn't fully awake. He more like told me about yesterday in a mumbled slur," she giggled.

"I'll check on him later then. I gotta call Maya and make plans for our trip to Radiator Springs."

"When's that happening?" she asked, sitting down next to me with a plate of her own.

"Couple of days. I think Lightning's coming home for the off-season, so she's wanting to throw a welcome home slash surprise party. At least, that's what I think she's doing." I shrugged and took a bite of breakfast.

OOOOOOOO

**Two days later**

"How are you so eager to get back on the road?" I asked Speed the morning we were leaving for Radiator Springs. He was trying hard not to show his excitement, but I knew it would only be a matter of time.

"I'm a Machine, I'm meant to travel places. C'mon, Michelle, let's go!" he said, nudging me a little as I walked around to the driver's side. He bounced in place

"Okay, hold yer horses!" I said, laughing. He revved his engine in response.

"Bounce too much and we're gonna be scored for an eight second ride!" Kevin complained in the back seat. Zoe and Kelly giggled, but were focused on hanging on. Speed stopped, but he wasn't waiting for me to be fully settled in the driver's seat.

OOOOOOOO

"Pretty sure we made it to Radiator Springs in record time. How many times did I have to tell you to cool it?" I lightly scolded.

"Hey, we only had to fill up once though!" he said proudly.

"I did my job then getting you fuel efficient then. I can retire happily now!" Kevin stated. We weren't alone for long before I heard the sound of several Machines driving up. Speed and Mater tire bumped and the humans took turns hugging each other. It was late afternoon, and we were only a few minutes ahead of Lightning.

When Lightning arrived, it was pandemonium for a few minutes. Everyone understandably wanted to see him and say hi to him. I stayed back with Doc, both of us agreeing we could wait our turn.

"It'll be a big party for a couple of days," I mused. Doc chuckled in response.

"Well, the kid deserves it. He ran a great season," he replied. Speed rolled up to us with a wide grin spread across his grill.

"Can I go tractor tipping with Mater and Lightning?" he asked, sounding like a ten year old hyped up on sugar. I rolled my eyes lightly and nodded. He spun around and shot off toward his buddies.

"Just…don't get hurt…" I tried calling, but it was too late.

"Boys will be boys," Doc stated before following the rest of the group to Flo's café.

OOOOOOOO

"Did you guys hear about the new fuel being developed? It's supposed to be cleaner fuel," Kevin asked while we enjoyed the fading daylight. The neons for all of the store fronts were slowly coming on the more time passed. Speed, Mater, and Lightning were still out running around somewhere.

"Man, you've got it all wrong, it's all natural fuel you want!" Fillmore exclaimed.

"I heard it was supposed to hit the US within a few weeks. Something about the CEO holdin' a global race to promote it," Flo stated.

"Don't tell Lightning that, he'd be on the next jet to the first leg of the race!" Maya said with a laugh.

"I'll stick with my diesel, thank you very much!" Mack stated with a guffaw. That caused the group to chuckle for a moment before quieting down. In the distance, we could hear the revving of engines racing toward town. I could see two sets of headlights that grew brighter and brighter.

"Excuse me folks, but a sheriff's job is never done!" Sheriff announced, quickly pulling away from the café.

"Something tells me we're about to find out how the tractor tipping went," Zoe whispered as she leaned over to me.

"How many times do I have to tell ya, don't be racin' into town like that!" I could hear Sheriff scold. The three rambunctious Machines rolled into the café panting but grinning triumphantly. Speed parked next to me, nudging me a hello.

"You are gonna be so tired for the drive home," I teased, leaning into him.

"No regrets!" he panted. Sheriff drove by, muttering something about delinquents…or dorks, I couldn't tell.

"Dadgum that was fun!" Mater exclaimed just before jumping into the trio's adventure.


	2. Chapter 2

We stayed in Radiator Springs for another night and celebrated Lightning's homecoming at the Wheel Well Motel. Though Radiator Springs was mainly meant for Machines, there were plenty of accommodations for humans as well. There was a menu for the humans as well as some human staff. I sat with Speed while the others sat in the air-conditioned building. It was warm, but I wasn't uncomfortable enough to go inside. Maya decided to join us too, bored of the football game playing in the human bar.

We watched as Mater turned into Lightning and Sally's waiter in an attempt to hang out with his buddy.

"I think someone missed his friend," Speed mused.

"I don't think so," I replied sarcastically.

"Yeah, it'll be a while before I can actually hang out with him. Oh well, guess I can just prepare for my show season!" Maya said, watching Mater speed into the restaurant.

Suddenly there was a crowd of Machines and humans forming inside. Curiosity got the best of Speed, Maya, and me, and we weaved our way through to get a look. On TV there was an Italian racecar being interviewed about the race Flow mentioned the night before. Both the human CEO and the Machine CEO of the

"Well let me tell you Mr. San Francisco, McQueen could drive circles around you!" Mater's distinct voice echoed through the bar.

"Driving in circles is all he can do, no?" the racecar stated, mused.

"No! I mean yes…I mean he could beat you anywhere, anytime, any track!" There were a variety of reactions from the audience. The crowd parted to allow Lightning through. He yanked Mater away from the phone. There was an exchange of insults, and suddenly another vehicle appears on screen asking Lightning if he wanted to race.

"Deal me in, baby! Ka-Chow!" Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Maya face palming.

OOOOOOOOO

"Thank you so much for taking the horses in for me. I wouldn't normally go to his races, but I'm a little more portable than some of his crew," Maya said sheepishly the next day. Speed hooked himself up to Maya's horse trailer and was waiting for me.

"No problem. I'll work them to make sure they're ready for show season for you too. I know how bad you want to compete in the circuit this year." We hugged and parted ways.

OOOOOOOOO

Some of the ranch hands prepped enough stalls for Maya's horses so we could easily put them away so they could eat. Speed left to drop the trailer off, but he rushed back as quickly as possible.

"There was an oil rig explosion! The news announced that it was one of the bigger producers. Gas is gonna hike up like crazy!" he panted. I made a face, not happy to hear about the price hike.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked.

"No, there were a few deaths both human and Machine…"

"That's sad!" Zoe exclaimed coming out of the barn. I nodded, giving a quick moment of silence.

OOOOOOOO

**Two days later**

"Hurry, hurry! The race is about to start!" Kevin said, bouncing on the couch. We managed to transform the garage into a living room of sorts with space for Speed to sleep. I ran back in with the bag of popcorn just in time to see Lightning drive up to the start space. I barely sat down when Kevin grabbed a handful.

"And here we see McQueen's crew, waiting anxiously in the pit. McQueen is the only racer in this series to have a human on the team!" the announcer proclaimed.

"McQueen's driver prior to the Change managed to stick around, I think the others raced off when their cars had minds of their own!" the other announcer chuckled.

"Boo!" Kevin called to the TV.

"There's Maya!" Zoe shouted as Maya's image came onto the screen. We cheered loudly, which brought in more people from the ranch to watch. Soon, it was almost too crowded in the garage, but we managed. Speed scooted over to the side of the room as much as he could to allow for more people.

"If you need to, you can climb into my bed to look over everyone," he offered. A few people took him up on that offer. Just then the cameras changed to the flag bearer. The green fabric dropped and the racers shot forward. The course was intense, at least for Lightning, who was used to oval tracks.

He held his own, but in the end, he was in 7th place. Maya called immediately after the race.

"Did you guys watch?" she yelled over the pandemonium.

"We did. Tell him not to take it too hard, it's only the first race," I replied.

"We love you!" someone called from behind me. Maya laughed at that.

"Go enjoy the world, we'll catch up when you guys come home," I said, hanging up.

OOOOOOOOO

**After the Race**

"Can't wait to see them!" Sally said enthusiastically. We sat at Flo's café waiting for word from Sheriff that the crew was on their way.

"They're coming!" his voice echoed through a radio. We all stood or rose up to greet the jet-lagged group. Maya and her parents walked up to my group and we exchanged a small conversation before Lightning pulled up.

"Welcome home, Rookie," Doc said, rolling up to Lightning.

"Congrats on your win!" I was able to say before the rest of the town descended on him.

"I got a girlfriend!" Mater announced enthusiastically after a few minutes.

"No, you don't, Mater," Lightning replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Do too! Her name is…Holley," Mater sighed. No one could think of a reaction.

"Okay…if you say so…" teased Sarge.

OOOOOOOO

"How did Mater manage to get a girlfriend? I thought he was with Lightning the whole time?" Speed asked when we were in our hotel room. I laid on the futon. I threw my hands up in an "I don't know" fashion.

"Maya did say he wandered around a lot," Zoe pointed out. She, Kelly, and Kevin would be in another room for the night, but I decided to keep Speed company.

"She also said that there was a vendor who was selling windshields for Machines with headlight eyes. I somehow can't picture that…but Speed, mark my words, you're next if you're on my list," Kevin said in a deadpan voice. Speed backed up a few inches and chuckled nervously.

OOOOOOOO

Everyone was happy to be home. Kevin overdramatically bent down to the gravel in front of my house and pretended to kiss the ground. I just shook my head and smiled.

"Business as usual tomorrow guys," I said before releasing everyone to their own devices. I gave Speed a pat on the hood and turned back into the house.


	3. Chapter 3

Maya seemed to have forgotten the time difference as my phone lit up with her number. My phone sang and vibrated, startling me from my sleep.

"Michelle speaking," I said with a yawn.

"So apparently Lightning did more than just win the Grand Prix," Maya said excitedly.

"That so?" I asked.

"Yeah, a tanker truck just rolled in with a supply of Allinol, and he said that it's only the beginning! Then this funny little German car and the jeep dude…Miles I think his name is…anyway, they came to visit Lightning. There's a camera crew setting up right now for an interview…it's insane!"

"That's great, Maya, but you do realize that it's five in the morning for me?" I mumbled.

"Oops, then I'll talk to you later!" She hung up before I could reply back.

OOOOOOOOO

I called Maya back during my lunch break.

"Hi, Michelle! Are you awake enough now?" she asked with a giggle.

"I'm never awake enough!"

"Good, because I'm getting this weird feeling about all this…" her voice lowered considerably about halfway through her sentence.

"What do you mean?" I asked concerned.

"Well, they filled the gas station up with all the different types of gas, then they interviewed Lightning."

"I remember that part, what's going on?"

"Nothing right now, it just seems odd that they're giving away free gas for life for an entire town!" she exclaimed.

"I know it seems odd, but since it's synthetic gas, they're probably not worried about running out, and since it'll be released to the public within the next couple of days, they'll be making more than enough money. And since he won the race, they'll probably figure out how to sponsor him."

"I guess that makes sense. Fillmore is totally against it though, and this is supposed to burn better than regular gas."

"Well, Fillmore is into his own thing. Don't knock it until you try it, I guess. Just keep me posted and if something fishy comes up, don't hesitate to call. This time I am giving you permission to call me when I'm asleep." We chuckled for a moment before saying our goodbyes. Kelly knocked on my office door and poked her head in.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Maya's just concerned about this whole after race stuff. She'll get used to it though," I explained with a shrug before turning back to my work.

OOOOOOOO

**A few days later**

The newspaper buzzed about the Allinol craze and how all of the stations were filled with it. The company the ranch used to fill our pumps tried to offer a free empty and refill service. While nothing was going on, I declined the offer and told them I would wait until we were actually empty.

The Machine news station covered Miles' trip around the world to visit the racers who participated in his race. They all received the same gifts from the company: a lifetime supply of fuel.

"See, that's what I don't get. These guys are professional racers who know both winning and losing, and yet they're treating each one as a winner and giving them the same prize! It's like having your students go out and they all get a buckle for the one class because it was just 'too hard to choose a winner'!" Kevin ranted while he sat in the office for a quick break. I munched on a sandwich while he talked.

"Well, the race _was_ to promote his fuel…it's probably just a promotional stunt," Zoe replied.

"True, but it still is silly that they're giving eleven racers free fuel for life."

"I think you're forgetting that we have some generous sponsors who have given us lifetime products," I said with a smile. Kevin shot me a look, causing me to laugh.

"It's not the same," he simply stated. I just nodded, ducking behind my sandwich.

OOOOOOOO

**A few days later**

Though I give the offer to all of my good friends to call me if there is a problem, no matter what time of the night, I never thought I would actually have them call. Maya's name lit up my screen as I scrambled to answer. The vibrating phone fell off of my nightstand, making me almost fall as I went to catch it.

"Everything okay?" I asked breathless. I could hear the roar of Lightning's engine and some undistinguishable shouting.

"We need to get out of here…now!" Maya sobbed. I threw myself out of bed while keeping the phone up to my ear.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know! Some of the Machines are just acting weird. Two of the Tuners got into a major fight and they're both broken down on one side of town. Mater was chasing the horses until Dad blew out his tires…Lightning ripped apart the garage…Michelle, we need help!" I pounded on Kelly's door and rushed to my office. I heard a gunshot in the background and a frightened gasp from Maya.

"Get your horses and your family out of there as fast as possible. I know there's a still active human territory about an hour west of there, go there. I'll get in contact with some people to give you shelter while Speed and I get down there as quick as possible. Call me if anything changes." Maya hung up in the midst of shouting at someone

"What's going on?" Kelly asked, following me to my room while I changed.

"Some of the Machines are going berserk. We need to go pick up Maya and family." Kelly needed nothing else and dialed the number I laid on my dresser to call. She rushed back to the office, and I could hear her apologizing for the rude awakening as I half-ran to the garage.

"Speed…" I said softly, not wanting to scare him, but needing to wake him up. No response.

"Speed!" I said louder. He jumped a little and opened his eyes.

"Michelle…wha…" I hit the garage door opener and started to leave under it.

"We need to get you hooked up to the five horse trailer pronto. Maya and her family are getting attacked." Speed backed quickly and after offering me a seat, we took off for the trailers.

OOOOOOOO

Maya sent me a text saying the family got to the territory in one piece. Fillmore, Mac, and Red were the only three who weren't affected by the onslaught of violence.

OOOOOOOO

Speed was undeniably tired by the time we got there. After some convincing to go into the human territory, we finally made it to the small farm where our friends found refuge. The moment I stepped down from Speed's cab, I was wrapped into a massive, trembling hug.

"Shh…shh…" I told Maya as she cried into my shoulder. Her parents, looking equally as disturbed, held the five snoozing horses. The three sane Machines filled Speed in on what was going on.

"We would have hooked Mack up to Lightning's trailer, but we just needed out of there. We hardly had time to saddle," explained Joseph.

"Well, saddles can be replaced. I think Speed needs a nap before we try taking off again. Shoot, I think everyone needs a nap before we head off." I heard a few chuckles before we separated to find someplace to rest.

OOOOOOOO

"I just don't get why they snapped so suddenly," Joseph stated, looking out of the window. We were halfway back to the ranch when he started to talk it was otherwise quiet.

"Lightning was acting funny after the interview, but I was thinking it was all of his races catching up to him finally," Maya said between yawns.

"Well, we'll go back in a few days after they all got whatever is going on out of their systems," I suggested.


	4. Chapter 4

I noticed Maya was missing from the spare room when everyone gathered for breakfast later the next morning. I dismissed myself from the table to go find her.

I walked into the office first to see if I could see her on any of the security cameras. The arenas were busy, but I recognized all of the riders and horses and none of them were her.

"You lookin' for Maya?" Zoe asked, stepping out of her personal office. I nodded and continued to flip through the cameras.

"She's with her friends over at the boarding barn. I thought you knew, she was following you and Speed toward that direction for feeding." I shook my head.

"I just wanna check on her," I said with concern.

OOOOOOOO

Maya sat on a hitching rail and leaned against the barn while her friends parked around her. They were all understandably upset and probably thankful to be out of that mess.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked walking up.

"Just worried about everyone," Mack stated, eyes downcast. I gave him a reassuring pat on the hood.

"I'm curious as to how you three managed to not go crazy?" I asked.

"It's that Allinol, man," Fillmore stated. I looked up at him a little surprised, but it made perfect sense. Maya was looking at him too, her mouth gaping open.

"That kinda makes sense since they don't have a diesel line yet and well, Fillmore, you like your organic stuff," I reasoned.

"No one's been acting right since that Miles guy and the German car came into town with the first supply…Everyone started to get grumpy within a couple of days. Do you think those guys are in on it?" Maya asked. I shrugged.

"Let's not jump to conclusions too quickly. It's worldwide now and so far Radiator Springs seems to be the only place affected that we know of. Maybe it was a bad batch? That's been known to happen from time to time."

"But what if it wasn't?" Mack asked. I shrugged again.

"The most we can do is sit tight and hope for the best. If the news starts covering more occurrences, we'll do something. But for now, I think there's someone who needs breakfast and a trail ride to the ridge." Maya perked up a little bit and after saying goodbye to the Machines, followed me back to the house.

OOOOOOOO

Star and my mustang, Rio, plodded along the trail as we climbed up the hillside.

"So, you ready for the circuit? Maybe you'll make it to the National Finals Rodeo this year."

"You think Star and I will pull the times to get there?"

"I think so. Deb said that you are consistent with clean runs and Star just whips around the barrels so well there is no time to even kiss the barrel." Maya chuckled a little and gave Star a pat on the neck. She took in a cleansing breath.

"This was a good idea, thanks, Michelle."

"No problem. It's nice to just get away, even if getting away isn't far away," I said, and then wondering if what I said made sense. Maya caught the look on my face and laughed.

OOOOOOOO

We chatted about competitions and school and random things up to the ridge and back. By the time we got to the barn to hose off the horses, Maya was laughing hard about Andy's misfortune with a bounce house.

"He and Jake got into another stupid argument and since Andy was really tired from the day, he handed his soda to me saying, 'hold my rootbeer', and then his leg popped the bounce house."

"He was okay though right?" I said between bursts of laughter. Maya nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"The whole family scolded him, it was great to listen to! He was fine though."

OOOOOOOO

It didn't take long for the three Radiator Springs residents to make themselves at home in the equipment shop, which we converted as a place to stay for visiting Machines. Maya, Kevin, and I helped the visitors get the building comfortable for them.

"You guys are welcome to do whatever, just stay off of the cross-country course and out of the barns, pastures, and arenas," I told them.

"You might wanna stay out of town though. I don't know what is, but I felt like I was gonna get chewed up by Machines," Kevin stated with a shake of his head.

"Oh no…" Maya said, her voice quavering.

"Didn't you say that was one of the first signs that something was wrong?" I asked her. Kevin stopped pushing things around and looked up.

"Everyone was just unpleasant to be around. Lightning yelled at me for something silly…I think it was there was some dust on the trailer," Mack replied.

"Sarge knocked over my shop displays…" Fillmore said sadly. I knew he and Sarge had a weird friendship, but I knew Sarge would never do that to Fillmore.

"Whoa…what am I missing?" Kevin asked.

"We think the Allinol is causing a problem. I think it's the creators doing it, but Michelle might think it's a bad batch," explained Maya.

"What happened while you were in town?"

"Well, one guy waiting at the light pulled into the crosswalk and pushed someone out into traffic. Thankfully no one got hurt. Then, two cars were fighting about a parking spot in an open parking lot. Gem and I pegged it as just one of those weird days, but now I know it's not just an accident." I bit at the inside of my lip.

"Did Gem fill up?" Kevin paled, answering my question. Maya whimpered a little.

"Keep an eye on her then…"

OOOOOOOO

"Accident reports have doubled in the last week than they have all last year. We go to Sheri for the report." The West family, Kelly, Kevin, and myself huddled in my living room to watch the news report on the TV. Sheri stood just outside of a burning building and the microphone she held could pick up screaming, tires screeching, and engines revving. I had a death grip on Kevin and Kelly's hands as we watched the camera pan to Main Street of a small town. One Machine zipped across the road too fast to make out features. The camera settled back to Sheri who was outfitted in a bullet proof vest and a riot helmet.

"Thank you, Dianne. We received word from our branch stations that the cities the racers from the World Grand Prix live in have been severely damaged. Humans have fled, and those who didn't were either dead or dying. Machines have gone haywire; running through buildings, driving into each other, and hitting pedestrians. No reports have come in from other cities as of yet, but investigators believe it is only a matter of time. Some believe that it is a disease that is somehow spreading to the Machines as it has proven to take the life of a few racers. There is no confirmation on that however."

"Thank you, Sheri. Now it's not just overseas that this is affecting, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct. At least two cities have been affected in the U.S. one in Arizona where racer Lightning McQueen lives, and another in New York." Someone shouted, "Look out!" and the camera bobbled a bit as the cameraman and Sheri jumped back. The news van jumped in front of the camera and a loud crunch of medal was heard before the picture changed to the anchors frantically trying to get a hold of the reporter.

Kevin reached for the remote and turned the TV off. The room was still as the shock wore off.

"That's it. I'm callin a meeting right now," I said, standing and heading for my phone. Keving pulled out his phone and started calling people.

OOOOOOOO

The nearly forty humans sat at the arena nervously chattering to each other.

"So mostly everyone saw the report. We don't know what is going on, though some of us have a theory that it is the Allinol causing the issue. We don't know why. It might just be a bad batch," I started.

"What are we gonna do?" Zoe asked.

"Well right now, Kevin mentioned the Machines are acting up in town. Not to the extent as Radiator Springs, but it's only a matter of time."

"My suggestion to those with Machines who run on regular gas, don't let them go fill up. And if Allinol is the problem and their diesel line comes out, then obviously don't let the diesel Machines go anywhere either. Don't let them run empty either, but we can't have them go and get sick too…or whatever is going on," Kevin announced. A murmur picked up among the employees.

"They ain't gonna like that," someone said.

"Well, would the normal stuff be on the black market? Couldn't we just get our own from there? I know we have diesel on the ranch, but how hard would it be to get a tank of regular?" someone else asked.

"Calm down, everyone! We don't know what is going to happen. All we can do now is try to protect the ones who haven't had the gas. Just be wary when you're out and about."

The meeting disbursed, but Kevin stayed behind.

"What should I do about Gem?" he asked. I shook my head.

"You're the mechanic. What do you think?" He sighed.

"Maybe it was just a bad batch. I'll keep an eye on her…but if the Machines are this bad…she's a good friend, I can't…" his voice cracked and he looked away for a second.

"Shh…we'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay? Talk to Victoria too, she needs to be conscience about the situation too."


	5. Chapter 5

**Kevin's POV**

I hated telling Victoria about Gem's situation, but she seemed to have taken it well. Gem seemed out of it by the next day, and I knew it was the beginning of the end. _Oh please let her make it through_ _this…_

"Gem?"

"What?" she snapped, not noticing the few tools I had in my hand. I caught Victoria's concerned gaze out of the corner of my eye. I took a deep breath.

"I…ther…erm…"

"Spit it out already!"

"The Allinol is messing with you. You…you're not yourself right now…and"

"I'm fine! I've been fine! There's nothing wrong with the Allinol. I don't know why everyone is so worried!" _She's making this harder than it needs to be_. I took a deep breath, and gripped harder on the star-point screwdriver. I didn't want to hurt her, but if she wasn't going to cooperate… I took a step around to Gem's side and gave Victoria a sorry look.

"What are you-" _POW!_ Gem's tire deflated and without another word, I moved on to the next three. Gem screamed and attempted to pull away.

"Gem…please listen! You're gonna die if you keep driving around!" I choked on a sob. Gem stopped trying to move and gawked at me for a moment. Her gawking turned into a glare.

"The Originals were right! We should never have trusted you…you're as bad as those men who attacked me!" she hissed. She started her engine, which sounded like it was under water…or something…

"Let me go. I can't live here anymore," she said, her voice low and her glare penetrating.

I stood and walked over to the garage opener and grit my teeth.

"Fine…" I said and I pushed the button. She slowly drove away, but I was only staring at a crack in the wall.

OOOOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

I found Kevin hiding in the barn lounge. Victoria was looking for him for the past hour and after explaining what happened, I feared the worst. I was relieved to find him just sitting on the couch.

"Hey," I said softly, knocking the doorjamb of the lounge. Kevin twirled a screwdriver between his fingers. His face was blotchy and his hair was ruffled.

"Hey…" he replied, not looking up. He set the screwdriver down on the table and folded is hands on his lap.

"You did what you had to do."

"But it didn't work!" he stated, his voice raising and cracking.

"You tried, and when this whole mess blows over-"

"It might be too late then…she…she was so angry…so hateful…she…she said 'the Origins were right! We should never have trusted you'." He let out a sob. I stepped up to rub his back. He leaned into me, another sob that shook his body.

"What if…if she survives…what if she realizes that I just let her go?"

"She'll come back, she _will_ survive this. She survived being beaten to near death; some stupid liquid can't take her down. She'll understand…she might be upset…but she won't stay upset for too long." Kevin, though his eyes were dark red and his face was stained with tears, he smiled.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

OOOOOOOO

More Machines were forced to leave the ranch due to their consumption of the Allinol. The overall morale of the small community was down, and nothing we tried doing seemed to help those who were directly affected. Unfortunately the investigation as to why they were acting out wasn't going anywhere, which frustrated everyone on the property.

"Why can't they just use their heads? I may not have excelled in math, but damn it I know how to add things together! It shouldn't be that hard to figure out that the gas is what's causing the commotion!" Kevin shouted. He threw the remote down and threw himself against the couch. The news switched to a local story about a neighborhood burning in town due to a rogue Machine driving into something. I stopped watching when the anchor mentioned a body count.

"We have to remember we haven't had a health type issue with the Machines yet," I replied.

"True…but I mean, why are they using scientists when a mechanic could do the same job? Seriously!" He jumped up and stormed out of the office. I turned the TV off and ran a hand through my hair.

I decided to send a mass text out to everyone.

Watch the fence line…defend the ranch if necessary.

The last thing I needed was a body count on my property.

OOOOOOOO

Two days later and an ad on TV announced Allinol's diesel line. Trucks passed the ranch to fill up the gas stations in town. Speed was even more afraid to go anywhere and spent much of his time hiding in the garage. The Radiator Springs residents also didn't move around much, and it was taking a toll on their health. Maya was nowhere to be seen for hours on end; she only showed up for meals and then she would disappear again. I suspected she was going to the ridge, though I felt that would end soon.

Horses weren't being worked as often, if at all; most of the employees delegated their time to property line patrol. They found two jeeps racing through the creek bed like bats out of hell. I only knew about that when I heard a shotgun go off.

I set myself up at the gate and made it clear I was armed. Very few Machines drove by, and when they did, they only looked once before speeding off. Smoke came out of most engine compartments.

OOOOOOOO

It was day three of keeping guard of the ranch when things started getting weirder. A light blue car and a purple car sped up to the ranch and skidded to a stop right in front of me.

"Are you Michelle Reese, or do you know where we can find her?" the purple one asked. Both of them seemed out of breath like they had been racing. I stood and put my hands on my hips, which revealed the gun and holster on my belt loop.

"I am Michelle. Are you sane?" At that point, their passengers stepped out. Both men wore black suits and sunglasses. They pulled their jackets back to reveal their weapons.

"We're Agents from C.H.R.O.M.E, a Machine based spy agency. As the spokesperson for the humans during the Change events, we would like to enlist your help to bring down the human responsible for the Allinol scam," Agent One stated, his British accent unmistakable. I didn't know if I wanted to believe him or not, but the look in the eyes of their car partners told me that I probably could. Kevin and a couple other ranch hands stood at the ready behind me.

"Will ya be okay with one person down for a bit?" I asked Kevin. He shrugged.

"Gentlemen, if you and your partners would like to come along with me, we can meet where it would be safer for everyone." Both agents quietly nodded and returned to their partners. The purple car, a jaguar, offered the passenger seat to me.

"Thanks," I said.

"I'm Mark, by the way and my other partner is Justin. Just in case 'Agent One' and 'Agent Two' get old," Mark said with a chuckle. I smiled weakly, but my thoughts spun out of control.

"Finn is the Aston Martin up ahead and this is Holley."

"Why does that sound familiar?" I thought out loud. Then it clicked.

"Do you know a tow truck named Mater?" Holley braked a little harder than I think she meant to.

"How do you know our American spy?" Mark asked shock plastered on his face. I made a face that was a mix of amusement and confusion.

"Um…he's not?"

"He is, he helped us with discovering the plans of the Allinol CEO," Mark explained. I led the men into the office where they set up a computer on the closest table they could and they opened up pictures and files as if I knew what they would be of.

"We have reason to believe this man, Ivan Markovic" Mark started, pointing at a picture of a greasy haired guy- oblivious to his picture being taken- looking off into the distance while stepping down from a jet. "is responsible for the situation. Miles Axelrod and Zundapp are just pawns in being the 'good face of Allinol'."

"Look, it's great to know that we're not the only ones who believe that it's the Allinol causing all of these issues, but what does this have to do with me?"

"You were the one who brought peace to this side of the country after the Change occurred. We want you to be a part of this case, as Ivan believes he has all of the American spies being held hostage. We would have enlisted Mater's help…but he seems to have been affected by the fuel."

"Did you guys see them?" Maya asked, stepping out of my office.

"You are Maya West?" Mark asked. She nodded her head slowly. He motioned for her to have a seat next to me.

"We did see your town. As you probably heard, we were under the impression Mater was actually a spy. A great method actor, if you will, but since he fell under the Allinol situation, we were unable to talk to him," Jason explained.

"How was everyone?" Maya asked, her voice small.

"Well, they'll all need some professional help, but they're still alive. They must have only had a weak batch or something that didn't kill them but still made them made."

"They're all alive?" Maya pressed, wanting to confirm she heard everything correctly.

"Well, there were some unidentified Blanks, and unfortunately there were human remains as well…" Justin began.

"We don't know how to tell you this easily. We know how much he meant to the town…" Mark tried finishing, but I could tell it was a tough statement.

"Spit it out already!" Maya cried. I gripped my couch seat, someone died; that was as much as I could prepare for.

"Doc…didn't make it…"


	6. Chapter 6

Maya's reaction was to pull me into a tight hug, which I returned with just as much energy. I could hear her choking on a sob or two, and could feel my throat tighten with tears.

"I'm sorry…" I heard Mark's sad voice.

"No…no…no…no…no…" Maya repeated over and over. She looked over to the agents. I looked too, sure enough that I had my emotions under control. Anger was replacing sadness however. Doc didn't deserve this! No one deserved this treatment! Mark looked sympathetic while Justin remained blank faced

"You said the others were okay? Lightning, Mater, Sally…?" Justin nodded.

"We sent a team to help them recover; they are all in pretty rough shape. Like I said, it's likely the batch wasn't a very strong one. We've been tracking the affected towns and it seems to be getting stronger with each new shipment," Mark explained.

"I want in…Deal me in and don't say I can't cause of my age…I've been in similar situations before," Maya stated, her expression hardening. Mark and Justin passed a glance at each other before Justin shook his head.

"I'm sorry I-" he began.

"We need all the help we can get," Mark interrupted, much to the annoyance of his partner.

"But she's a-"

"We really don't have much of a choice," Finn stated through the window.

"It's better to have outside help if we can get it," agreed Holley. Justin sighed, clearly irritated at his partners.

"Fair enough I suppose. We'll have to brief everyone who wants to get involved," he stated. I texted for Kevin and Zoe to come and to bring Speed along.

Within a few minutes we were moved outside so Speed could see the pictures.

"We're gonna kick some butt!" Maya said, not hinting to the news we just found out about.

"Butt kicking? 'Bout time we have a little fun!" Kevin chuckled.

"Who are they?" Speed asked, eyeing the two spy cars and the agents curiously.

"They're agents from a spy place and they need help…since I'm supposed to be the voice of reason to the humans," I replied. Kevin's jaw dropped.

"Spies? Like…James Bond stuff?" I could see the gears whirring in his head as his inner kid fought for control.

"The real deal. Finn Mc'Missile, British Intelligence," Finn replied.

"It…It's like I'm reliving my childhood all over again…" Kevin stated in awe. I elbowed him and gave him a "knock it off" look.

"As I was telling Miss Reese and Miss West, we have reason to believe that Ivan Markovic is responsible for the situation at hand. We don't think the Machines who are with him have an idea of what is going on," Justin began impatiently.

"We need to get into his company and find out what exactly his motives are," Mark said. Zoe smirked.

"I could be a secretary," she giggled. I caught Kevin staring at Holley.

"Holley…Holley…why does that name sound familiar? Mater's girlfriend?" He asked. Holley rolled back a bit, bothered by his question. I elbowed him again but harder.

"Yes…" Holley replied. I snuck a glance at Speed, who seemed conflicted with the idea of helping spies.

OOOOOOOOO

"Oh no…these tires stay firmly on the ground!" Speed protested. We were following Holley and Finn when Speed realized we were going to the town's airport where a large jet waited on the tarmac. Speed's sudden braking threw everyone against our seatbelts, resulting in an, "oof".

"Speed, we need to go with them. They said that we need to do some training and that means flying with them…somewhere," I said, realizing I really didn't know a whole lot of the situation. I pushed him a little with the gas pedal until he got the hint to keep going, though he grumbled the entire time.

"C'mon, Dude, think of it this way…we're gonna be _spies_!" Kevin exclaimed as he leaned forward into the front seat where Zoe and I were. Maya sat quietly in the back seat, and I might have caught a tear running down her cheek at one point. My mind wandered to what could have happened in Radiator Springs, and my only hope was Doc didn't suffer.

"While that's cool and all, I'm a _truck_! Trucks are meant to travel the _ground_…which is NOT the air!"

"Rest assured that Siddeley is the best pilot around!" Finn said, trying to calm Speed, who I was afraid was close to hyperventilating.

"Siddeley, this is Speed, Michelle, Kevin, Zoe, and Maya."

"Glad you could join the team. Sadly we're short handed, any help is good help!" Siddeley stated with a wink.

OOOOOOOO

"Speed, you need to calm down, hon," I said once Siddeley took off. I leaned into his side and felt his trembling. He had his eyes squeezed shut.

"If you would like, we have something that can knock you out until we land," Finn offered. I nodded, knowing Speed would tire quickly if he kept staying stressed. Justin disappeared to another section and came back with what looked like a perfume bottle. Speed kept his eyes closed and whimpered a little.

"This'll help you relax okay?" I asked.

"O-o-kay…" his voice quavered. Justin sprayed a few pumps into Speed's grill and within a minute, Speed had stopped shaking and his expression lightened.

"Has he ever flown before?" Holley asked. I shook my head.

"No, but he gets nervous when he does things for the first time. We hooked him up to a horse trailer and he was so nervous he would hurt the horses…we barely got to the speed limit," Kevin explained with a chuckle.

OOOOOOOO

Siddeley landed on some private airstrip and we were let off. Speed, still groggy from whatever Justin sprayed, kept mumbling questions to which most of the answers were 'I don't know'. We were given a moment to survey the area. One side of the field was a thicket of trees; the other side a gigantic two-story office building.

"This is where you will all split up for what we'll train you for," Mark explained. There was a group of agents standing at the ready.

"You mean I won't get to be with Speed?" I asked, not sure I wanted that to happen. Speed nudged me, though part of me wondered if he really understood what was happening.

"More than likely not. We have a rule about partners who are friends, if something were to happen to one partner, it is likely that the other partner would not be able to function normally," Justin explained. It made sense, I supposed…but I felt like I would worry over everyone else if I were separated from my friends.

Another agent walked up and led me into a side entrance to the massive facility. I stole one last look back at the group, who was split up among the other agents. I felt butterflies in my stomach, and my skin prickled with an uneasy feeling.

OOOOOOOO

I was led through a maze of hallways and I felt pretty sure we went down three floors before the agent stopped me in front of a metal door labeled "Training 001".

"You will be trained in this hall. Your room and everything you'll need is in there. Here is your access card, don't lose it!" she said before slapping the card into my hand. She didn't hang around to see if I would wander or go into the room. I decided not to take any chances for wandering and I slid the access card home on the door. A green light blinked and I heard the _click_ of the lock opening. I pushed the door in and was greeted by a blue Mustang waiting on the other side.

"You must be Michelle," he said rolling up. "I'm your new partner, Agent Redline…but you can just call me Rod."

"Well, you already know me…so…er…hi," I said, scanning the basketball court sized room. Rod chuckled.

"You'll get sick of this place soon enough. Follow me and I'll show you to your sleeping quarters."

The sleeping quarters were plain. One lowly cot with grey sheets was bolted in the corner of the room. There was a small privacy wall for the bathroom, which was a simple sink, toilet, and shower.

"Homey," I remarked with a smirk.

"Well you won't be here long. They only plan on training you for a week and then putting you out in the field. Doesn't make any sense, but, I'm not the boss…and we need all the help we can get right now." He finished his statement rather sadly.

"What happened, if I may ask?"

"We lost a couple of agents to that oil rig explosion you might have heard of. One of them was a good friend of mine. Then a couple of field agents were filling up at an Allinol station, unaware of the situation. We're throwing agents out in the field who shouldn't be out there…like Holley," Rod explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He made a nodding motion before sighing.

"Well…we need to move past that. Get settled, cleaned up…whatever you humans need to do, then come on out so your trainer can see what you can do." He drove off quietly and left me to sifting through my suitcase. I was told I would need workout type clothing, and I managed to find basketball shorts and some lightweight workout type shirts.

After doing a quick change, I did a little bit of stretching and walked out to the large room where a woman in yoga pants and a tight t-shirt. She had her hands on her hips and she stood in an impatient stance.

"All right," she stated with a huff. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."


	7. Chapter 7

**Speed's POV**

I was knocked out…again…and when I woke up, I felt weird. It wasn't until I looked down on my hood when I realized I wasn't white anymore. I was a dark blue, almost black. Looking through my mirrors I saw I didn't have the Gold Star Ranch logo on my doors, or the phone number on my fenders. I noticed a mirror and saw that my color wasn't the only thing that the spy people changed. I had new tires meant for digging into the dirt and grabbing more traction and the hubcaps had weird teeth things on them.

"Just wait until you start your engine," an amused voice said from behind me. He walked around to my front and stood there with his hands behind his back and a warm smile on his face.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We do this to all of the Machines. We'll put you back to your normal state after the mission. We felt a disguise would be a good idea so when you go back to your civilian lifestyle, you won't be recognized. I guess I should introduce myself. I'm your new partner, Agent Kennedy, but please…Shawn will do."

"Nice to meet you. What's going on with my engine? Why can't Michelle be my partner? Where is she…where are my friends?" A ball of panic somewhere deep inside me began to roll, and I felt the urge to drive somewhere.

"Calm yourself. Michelle and your friends are fine, they're in the human quarters training. We don't like having friends as partners for emotional reasons, though many partners do tend to become friends later, we gotta first be professional. As far as your engine, we modified it so you're quieter without compromising power. We weaponized you with basic things, taser, and recording devices…basic things really. You'll learn all of that in this next week so don't feel too overwhelmed," explained Shawn.

"I wanna go home…"

"I know you do. Without your help though, home might not be home anymore. Regular diesel will be hard to find since this crap has taken over, let alone regular gas. C'mon, we gotta train together…that'll take your mind off of things."

OOOOOOOO

**Kevin's POV**

I was taken through several rooms and possibly a couple of floors before the agent leading me stopped me at a small room. The walking was making me tired, especially from a whole day of flying. He took my phone and some change that I had in my pockets, then he patted me down for other random things. He took my wallet. _That's okay, I didn't have any cash anyway_, I thought somewhat bitterly.

After the search, he led me to another room that was labeled "007".

"Is this my room?" I asked excitedly. He nodded, not amused. He handed me a card key and left. I didn't wait for another word and I threw open the door and posed as if I was adjusting cufflinks.

"The name's Martin…Kevin Martin," I said to an unsuspecting Machine parked just inside the gym-sized room. The Machine stared back with a look of confusion and irritation. _These guys need to lighten up!_

"Why am I always stuck with the weird trainees?" he complained to no one. He was a black and red Charger.

"Why am I always stuck with the grumpy Machines?" I retorted.

"Your room is to the right. Get yourself cleaned up and come out for training." He disappeared to someplace on the left.

While I changed, I started humming a mix of James Bond and Bourne Identity theme songs. When I walked out, the Charger and another agent were waiting for me.

"All right, who's up for some butt kicking?" I asked, bouncing in place.

OOOOOOOO

**Zoe's POV**

I wasn't sure what to expect. Michelle and Kevin were led one way, Speed was led another. I followed a woman in a different direction.

"You have computer experience?" the woman asked at some point during our walk. I nodded, though realized she didn't see it. I mumbled a response, feeling somewhat self-conscience.

"We need some help in the Intelligence Department. We'll teach you hacking tactics so when you are out on the mission, you can sneak into Ivan's computer and find the formulas for the Allinol so we can break it down and hopefully cure the Machines who are still alive or have just been affected," the woman explained. She opened the door to a computer lab. The inner geek squealed with delight, but I kept my composure, already feeling like I was being judged.

"Hey, we've got a new geek with us!" someone exclaimed followed by a chorus of "hey!". I giggled nervously before I was ushered into the middle of the room.

OOOOOOOO

**Maya's POV**

I didn't know what the C.H.R.O.M.E agents intended to do with me. I sat in a metal chair in what I assumed would be an interrogation room. I heard them discuss different positions I could have, but many times they were grunting negative remarks. The walls were too thick for me to really hear their conversation, but I strained as much as I could, just short of standing and pressing my head against the one-way glass.

They left me in the room for about an hour, which dangerously allowed my mind to wander to Radiator Springs and to the others who were affected. How much suffering was there? Were they angry because they were in pain? Why couldn't they say something?

"Maybe they're just telling me he died..." I muttered, not caring if they thought I was insane at this point. I questioned and broke that thought down to possible positive outcomes. After a few minutes I gave up.

"Those monsters deserve what's coming for them," I snarled. I stood and paced the room to control the bubble of anger.

"I wonder if there's a way to bring him back? I would do anything to bring Doc back. Lightning must be devastated...oh Lightning," I started to sob. I choked back the tears, but let them flow freely. I sank down into one of the far corners from the window and tucked my head into the well my arms created from being wrapped around my legs.

"No...he's dead...and it's because of that Ivan creep. He's gonna pay...I'll see to it..."

OOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

Sweat cascaded from my body as I went through another round of fighting techniques. I was thankful for the horseback riding building my stamina, but there was no preparing my muscles for the beating I was taking. I would dodge a hit then take a hit, dodge a hit then take a hit. I started recognizing my trainer's pattern and anticipated the hits, much to the relief of my aching sides. She would look before she would hit, though it was a fleeting movement with her eyes, it was enough for me to notice and reciprocate a blow. Rod was parked in a corner, content to watch the training.

"Well, I've gotta admit, I never had a greenie quite as stubborn as you," Lynda stated in such a way that made it seem like I was out of shape…though I likely was for this kind of work. I coughed for a second, catching air that I had lost during the sparring. I lost track at how long we had been training, but it felt like hours.

"Well…I learned…sometimes…you gotta…out stubborn your opponent…" I panted. Lynda smirked.

"I think you and Rod will have stubborn competitions then," she said.

"That last spar round went for about thirty minutes, that might just be a record," Rod said chuckling.

"We're done for today. Nice work, Agent Reese," Lynda stated, offering me a hand. I stared at it and then back at her. There was a sparkle in her eye that made me not want to take the hand. I straightened myself and smiled.

"Thank you," I said without taking her hand. She stared down at her offering and then back up to me.

"How'd you know I would flip you?"

"Sounds cliché, but I've seen it in movies. Plus, your eyes tell all," I replied.

"Hmmm…body language. I wondered that about you. Are you a horse whisperer?"

"Ha! No, I just have been around horses for so long, I can just read how they're feeling or how they're feeling. I put that practice to humans too. It helps."

"What about Machines?" Rod asked, striking a pose with a goofy face.

"That one's shouting, "I'm a dork!" but I'm still figuring Machines out," I replied, chuckling.

"Get cleaned up, dinner will be with everyone tonight, then it'll be likely you won't see much of anyone else until we dispatch you for the mission." She and Rod left in the opposite hall from my room.


	8. Chapter 8

The mess hall was full of life as agents grabbed their plates and food and found places to sit. I looked at the generic cafeteria meal, suddenly not feeling hungry, and found an empty table in a corner of the room. While everyone chatted about this and that, I could see the stress in their eyes and some of them were possibly prematurely greying. I sat down and started picking at the unappetizing plate when I saw a few people sit next to me.

"How was training, Michelle?" Zoe asked.

"Oh you know, I got beat to a pulp, but I think my trainer tolerates me now. My partner isn't Speed…speaking of…have you seen him yet?" I asked. Zoe, Kevin, and Maya shook their heads.

"I was stuck in an interrogation room. They finally decided I can help Zoe with communications," Maya said without looking up from her plate. She poked at the slice of meat with her fork.

"I don't want to be a spy anymore," Kevin announced which put our group into a fit of giggling. He had a bruise forming on his right arm.

"I want to see Speed…" I said after a moment. The cafeteria wasn't built for Machines, and it bothered me that I was separated from him for so long. Without a cell phone, I couldn't call him. I only hoped that he was okay.

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

After three hours, I managed to get the hang of using my weapons, as well as getting used to the feeling of my modified engine, though I knew I would always hate it. I was worn out, and I wasn't really looking forward to the next training session, even if it was a day away.

"How are you feeling?" Shawn asked.

"Like I'm not cut out to be a spy," I replied.

"Well, you're doing great considering you weren't technically built for this line of work. If all goes well, you'll be back to your normal lifestyle within a few weeks," Shawn assured me. It didn't help, but I smiled anyway. I no longer wanted Shawn's company, though he tried to help me through my discomfort.

I followed him to a large garage where other Machine agents were hanging out. At the far end of the room were two rows of Blanks. I saw them often enough that they shouldn't bother me, but they did. Shawn noted my gaze and chuckled.

"Even some missions are too dangerous to put you guys through them," he explained. He left me with the other Machine agents, though none of them approached me. Only a couple of them looked my way. I felt out of place amongst the sleek sports cars and the maybe one other Machine truck.

"You look a little lost," someone said behind me. I turned to see a mustang smirking at me.

"A…a little I guess," I replied.

"I'm Rod, come on over and you can meet some cars. You're Michelle's friend right?"

"Yeah. I haven't seen her since we got here though…" The sudden realization made me more bothered than before.

"She's fine, a little bruised, but fine."

"Bruised?" I stopped and faced him. He chuckled.

"She's my temporary partner since Shawn is going to work with you. But anyway, she went through some fight training. Lynda…her trainer…thinks Michelle's a good fighter. She also thinks Michelle would do well with interrogation."

"She does have a good eye for reading people and horses," I replied. We parked by one wall next to the Blanks.

"So tell me about Shawn. How do I stay away from his bad side?" Rod chuckled.

"He's pretty lax compared to some of the other agents. He claims it's because we're American, but other than that, just don't hurt him." He said with a matter of fact tone.

OOOOOOOOO

"You ready for your mission?" Shawn asked me one morning. Everyone had gone for training or to do something so I was left by myself in the large garage. Well…aside from the Blanks. He had a duffel bag in one hand and an equipment case in another.

"We're leaving? Right now? I didn't think the mission wasn't for a little while longer."

"We had a breakthrough and they want the first team to go out. That's us! C'mon, we've gotta drive now!"

OOOOOOOOO

**Zoe's POV**

I manned the security cameras for the facility, which was part of my training. I was navigating Maya through a series of tests in a simulator maze when a flash of blue caught my eye.

"Zoe, what next?" Maya's voice inquired, ducking twice to avoid the laser lights shooting at her. I watched the truck speed off of the facility and race off of the camera's line of sight. _What's Speed doing?_

"Zoe, what _next_?" Maya repeated breathless. She was in the middle where two hallways intersect and the lasers were shooting from every direction.

"Hang on. Hey Emily…why did I just see Speed…well…speed off the facility?" Emily looked at me confused, as if that wasn't supposed to happen. She picked up several phones at once and started speaking in codes I had yet to learn.

"Shawn's missing too. I hope they didn't just try to blitz the mission on their own. Shawn can be a hothead sometimes," Emily explained as she shut down the simulator Maya was in. I could see Maya sigh and make faces at the camera.

"Michelle will not be happy about this…"

OOOOOOOOO

**Michelle's POV**

The training and eating schedule continued for a few more days. Each day of me not seeing Speed was another day of my anxiety growing. My curiosity was finally answered when Rod skidded to a halt right outside of my sleeping quarters.

He didn't seem himself. If I didn't know any better I would have thought he had paled. I dropped the book I was reading and stood.

"Michelle…I… I'm so sorry!" he panted.

"What's going on?"

"Speed's gone."


	9. Chapter 9

"Gone as in…_gone_ gone…or gone as in missing gone?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer.

"Missing gone. He was seen pulling off of the grounds. Shawn's with him…"

"What are you implying? That Speed took Shawn?" my overwhelmed emotions turned into anger. How _dare_ this guy accuse my friend of napping someone!

"I don't know. We're tracking Speed right now to see where he ends up." He noted my confused look. "Everyone has a tracker on them."

"We need to follow…now!" I exclaimed as I raced to grab my things.

"We need to watch where he's going first and then get him when he's stopped," Rod replied, blocking my doorway. I contemplated climbing over him, or even hopelessly pushing him out of the way, but I knew neither of those options would work.

"Speed wouldn't just take off though. I know he's confused and probably a nervous wreck, but he wouldn't just flee. That's not him. Could they just be doing some training?" I asked, wishing that that could have been the true story. Rod just made a face in response.

"We need to go get a briefing, maybe they've stopped someplace," he said, ignoring my question. He took off while I ran behind him. Some agents were already sprinting in the same direction.

OOOOOOOO

Everyone crowded into a conference room and waited for the orders of their commanders…or whoever was in charge. I saw Zoe, Kevin, and Maya huddled in a corner and I walked toward them. Zoe gave me a hug and I didn't realize how stressed I was until I returned the hug and felt a few tears fall.

"He'll be okay. He'll be okay," Zoe reassured me softly. I couldn't help feeling hopeless however. I could hear people shushing others and turned to see a woman dressed in a complete official business suit. She stared everyone down until it was quiet enough to hear her dress shoes clicking on the hard floor of the stage.

"We have ourselves a hostage situation. While we don't know which one went rogue, we are to assume both agents are at fault. They stopped just five miles short of the Allinol plant, which tells me they might be jumping the gun on the mission, or turning us in to Mr. Markovic. The only things we can do are to up the mission to urgent and add on a side mission of grabbing both of these potential traitors." My throat tightened, and I caught myself glancing over to Rod, who also looked bothered.

"What'll happen to them?" Kevin called to the woman. I closed my eyes and turned away from the stage and wished I could turn hearing off.

"If they don't fight us, then we'll just take them in for trial. But…if they did turn against us…"

"No!" I cried. Everyone turned their attention to me, who stood shaking next to Kevin. I ignored the whispering and just glared at the woman.

"Unfortunately we have a policy to uphold. Let's hope for the best for everyone's sake. Shawn is a great field agent, and I'm sure your friend is good, but we have to think about self-defense as well should the situation call for it." I broke my eye contact with her and scanned the faces of everyone still looking at me. Rod was also in the back of the room, and he also seemed upset by the thought of losing his partner.

"Gear up, your missions have been sent to your computers, you are to start immediately."

OOOOOOOO

It wasn't long before Rod and I were heading toward Shawn and Speed's location. We were following Kevin and his partner through the winding mountain range road. Other agents were going a different route, but nothing was coming over the radio.

"I…I can't believe this is happening…" I thought out loud after about a half hour of silence.

"Me neither," he replied quietly. We both stayed within our own thoughts from that point.

OOOOOOOO

I lost sense of time as we sped down the road, all the trees and the river at the bottom of the canyon we were driving through seemed never ending. We rounded yet another curve and saw Kevin's partner brake and spin around to look at a broken guardrail.

"Oh no…" Rod muttered as we stopped. I looked over at one of the monitors installed on Rod's dash and saw that Speed's tracker was right where we were. I felt bile rise up and fought to not get sick as I stepped out and reluctantly walked over to the edge. Kevin stepped up to the gap, leaned over, stepped back, and squatted down with his hands covering his head.

I forced myself to look down at the carnage that was a blue truck's body wrapped around a tree by the river. I was in denial, but knowing Speed was painted blue made the crash more than coincidental. _Nononononono,_ I kept thinking until I muttered it out loud. Kevin grabbed my arm as I took a step onto the soft soil. I had to go down there. I looked back at him with pleading eyes.

"Don't get hurt…" he said before letting me go.

"Go get help…I'll be fine," I replied. I slid down the hillside, avoiding the broken tree branches and the dislodged rocks. Above me I could hear an engine speeding off toward the facility. I saw Rod watching me, ready to help at a moment's notice. I reached the wreckage and reached out to touch the body with a shaky hand. Something seemed off though about the whole thing. A little red LED flashed to my right, right between the hood and the windshield. I picked up the device and noticed it had C.H.R.O.M.E engraved on the bottom.

"This isn't Speed…" I whispered, relief sweeping over me.

"What did you find?" Rod called, just as concerned as I was.

"It's a set up! This isn't Speed!" I said, half laughing. I peered through the cracked windows and didn't see blood or a body; there was no evidence of Shawn either.

Rod shot his grappling hook toward me and helped me climb up the hill. Breathless, I chuckled and held up the tracking device.

"Pretty sure…this isn't placed…just above your hood…" I said between breaths. I could see he was as relieved to know his partner wasn't gone.

"We need to tell them the news!" I said. I sat down in Rod's passenger seat and we started…where was he going? I was pretty certain the facility was the other direction.

"Throw the tracker out," he commanded. To emphasize his wish, he opened my window. I obeyed, but I got ready to ask him what was going on.

"What about protocol?" I asked, confused. He sped up just a little more.

"Screw protocol!" he growled.


	10. Chapter 10

It seemed too easy as Rod and I stopped just short of the Allinol plant. The logo gleamed on a sign in front of the driveway. It was so inviting; I couldn't wrap my head around how this company was killing Machines on purpose. I don't know if I was necessarily expecting a huge chase or gunfight, but I really wasn't expecting…nothing. Birds chirped and I heard a squirrel or some small animal scurry through the forest. It didn't look like any normal factory; I was expecting smokestacks or something more industrial looking than what just looked like a random office building in the middle of a mountain range.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I don't wanna think about how I'm feeling though. I just wanna get Speed and go home." He looked away, and I could tell he was just as worried about Shawn as I was about Speed. He turned back.

"Do you have your earpiece?" I responded by putting the Bluetooth device in my ear.

"I'm staying behind, but I'll guide you through the vent system. I'm not much help after that…unless I can hack into their security system without getting caught…" he trailed off. I nodded and looked around.

"How do I get in the vent system?" He followed my gaze.

"You'll have to sneak onto the property and find a vent. There's one…to the left of the building. Stay within the tree line and you won't be seen. Good luck. Let me know if Shawn's okay…" We both shared a worried glance before I dove into the tree line.

The Allinol plant didn't have any fencing around the property, which felt weird. I cursed a couple of times as I slipped on loose rocks and tripped on hiding sticks. I heard a chuckle from Rod's end, and I heard myself whisper a "shut up" to him once or twice.

I crept through the forest underbrush until I heard the thrum of an air conditioning unit. I had butterflies in my stomach, and felt like I was going to be sick. At the same time though, I was kind of excited. I felt like I was in a spy movie…except this time the bullets were real…I shook away the thoughts.

"Okay…I made it to the building," I whispered to Rod. It was silent on the other end, and part of me wondered if he actually heard it.

"Perfect, now once you get into the ducts, you're going to go to the right and then take the second left. I think that's where Speed and Shawn are being held. Be careful though…the secu—" He was cut off by a gunshot and an electric buzz.

"Rod? Rod!" I semi-shouted into the Bluetooth. The buzz was too loud, so I pulled the earpiece out. Afraid of someone tracking me with it, I smashed the little plastic blob between two rocks I found. I was alone, and I had no idea what I was about to do. Now two Machines who I was responsible for were potentially dead and none of my human friends knew where I hid. I leaned up against a tree and quietly wept.

I didn't sit in the underbrush for very long before I decided I needed to act. Anger fueled me and I rushed to the vent. I pulled out a utility tool, unscrewed the vent, and cut the screen. I was in.

OOOOOOOOO

It was a painfully slow process to crawl through the air ducts and not make a noise. I froze every time I heard voices or a noise from the rooms I must have been passing through. My skin prickled when the air conditioner kicked on. I only hoped that my teeth wouldn't chatter and give me away.

As if on some divine cue, I found a way out of the vent system. The vent looked to be in a break room of sorts. I looked over the fridge so survey the room. Through the packages of food I saw a microwave and a coffee pot on a counter to my right. To the left was a card table with an unfinished puzzle. It didn't look like anyone was in, and I didn't see a window or a camera. _Excellent_.

I carefully, and painfully slowly took apart the vent. I was shaking after a minute of removing the metal pieces and a screw slipped and clattered behind the fridge. I froze, waiting for machine guns to appear and shoot me, but nothing happened. I stared at the snack food boxes, feeling like I should just topple them over out of spite. I poked my head into the room and confirmed there were no cameras, and with a nervous giggle, I pushed a box of crackers onto the floor. No one came rushing in.

I decided that I shouldn't stay in the vent for long and just bulldozed through the rest of the packages. I crouched in the middle of the pile and listened to the absolute silence of the room. The clock on the wall struck three in the afternoon, so I knew people would still be in the building.

Suddenly I heard the pounding of several pairs of feet running toward the break room. I readied my gun and stood flat against the wall next to the door. My body was tensed to run. The people running flew by the room and continued down the hall. I sighed, and moved to open the door, but the handle wiggled before I got near it. The door opened, blocking me from the person. He seemed oblivious to me, and I felt bad for almost shooting him. He wore a labcoat and a facemask I've seen when people were spraying stuff in the air.

He surveyed the mess and then noticed me standing frozen in place with a gun pointing at his feet.

"Please don't make me shoot…" I begged. He slowly took his mask off, revealing a familiar face. Shawn looked somewhat smug, and it was hard to tell what was going on in his mind.

"Well…I'm impressed. Did Rod tell you to go through the vents? He was always the adventurous partner," he said thoughtfully. My jaw hung open, why was he talking like that? He chuckled at my expression and the way his eyes met mine made me want to shoot him…but the gun felt too heavy at that moment.

"Ivan's been looking forward to meeting you, Miss Reese. Why don't you just take a walk with me?"

OOOOOOOO

**Speed's POV**

I couldn't see anything, not even my hood…and I was cold…so painfully cold.


	11. Chapter 11

Shawn pushed me down the halls of the Allinol plant. I could hear voices, but I rarely saw any faces. I probably could have easily broken away from him, but I lost track of where I was after turning three or four times, plus he had an iron grip on my arm, and I could feel it bruising after he yanked on it a few times. We approached a doorway and stopped. He knocked a few times and the door opened revealing an open office reminding me of an executive office.

"Miss Reese, what an honor to meet you!" exclaimed a balding, middle-aged man. He had a slight accent that I couldn't place, but it made every word he said heavy and uncomfortable. Shawn pushed me again, causing me to almost fall over. I regained my footing, but was now face to face with the smarmy man.

"Have a seat," he offered a chair that was set in front of his desk. I clenched my teeth and didn't move.

"It wasn't a suggestion," he said after a moment. Shawn shoved me into the chair, and then handcuffed my wrists to the armrests. I struggled for a moment, even though I knew it was hopeless at that point.

"I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ivan Markovic…though I'm sure your friends at Chrome versed you in my…accomplishments. When you and your friend…Speed…was it? When you made the international news about wanting to make peace with the races…I just _had_ to meet you. You made quite an impression. Humans in harmony with living Machines…what a laugh!" I didn't want to make eye contact…and managed to look around the room for a moment. I could see two Machines parked…chained…to the far wall. They looked like the Machines who were driving around promoting Allinol. They both looked at me rather miserably.

"Then why are you killing innocents?" I broke my silence…_I'm gonna regret that…_

"This was all Shawn's idea really though. I mean…I couldn't believe it when he concocted this whole plan. He really flew through the ranks at Chrome with his Machine partner, who is now part of our testing facility. He's so strong-willed, it'll be interesting to see how harsh our fuel will have to be to…leave lasting effects." Ivan pressed a button on his desk and a large monitor lowered from the ceiling. There were multiple security feeds from around the facility displayed. One screen was black, but it was labeled "cold room". Two others had feeds from what looked like a jail, and then the last one was being blown up to full screen.

Rod was forced onto some sort of Machine treadmill and a tank of Allinol was attached to him. He looked worn out, and I caught myself wondering what happened when we lost contact. There were other Machines talking to him, torturing him.

"They're all lemons; useless. But I give them a purpose here…they get regular gas since I don't want crazies running around my facility. But little do they know, once they've served their purpose, they become part of the experiment." I stared horrified at the screen. Rod was fading, that was easy to see. I forced myself to look dead in the eyes of Shawn, who had turned away from the screen. They looked a little red.

"Someone who truly cared about you is dying…and all you can do is turn away from them," I spat. He reached out and backhanded me. Stars erupted in my vision, but he knew that was a small price to pay. I simply let out a satisfied "huh", I found his soft spot…hopefully.

"You should take her to see our wonderful experiment in person. The biology of these Machines…however they were created…it's simply exquisite! It's incredible what a little bit of chemistry can do to drive a Machine…heh, pardon the pun…absolutely mad," Ivan said to Shawn. I didn't like where this was going…I didn't like it at all. Shawn took off the handcuffs and not very gently dragged me across the office.

"I hope you enjoy your tour, Miss Reese!" Ivan's voice rang as the doors closed.

"How could you just look away?" I hissed. Shawn stiffened, causing his grip to tighten on my bicep. He turned another corner, and then another, and eventually we were in front of a large freezer door. It looked rather out of place, but so did the entire facility for the mountain range.

He opened the door and shoved me into the darkness. I landed on my hands and knees onto the slippery cement. By the time I looked up, the door had sealed of any available light to survey the room. I heard the clanking of heavy metal hitting the cold concrete and stilled for a moment. Someone was shivering and winded, but I couldn't tell if it was human or Machine. I tried standing and successfully found myself on the ground after slipping. _So much for slip resistant boots…_I thought grimly.

The cold was settling in quickly, it must have been well below freezing. My teeth chattered and I felt my fingers and toes numbing. I heard the beep of an intercom from somewhere in the room.

"Miss Reese, I'm surprised you haven't moved very far…especially since your best friend is right there with you. Oh right…you can't see. Let me help you with that," Ivan's voice chimed. The lights of the freezer flickered on, hurting my eyes for a moment. Speed was huddled in the opposite corner of me, looking away. He looked like he had been rammed into from looking at the size of the dents and scrapes on his one side. He had parking boots on his front tires.

"We discovered that Allinol causes the Machines to go mad once it gets warm. I know diesels aren't supposed to be this cold, but we didn't want him killing himself without you here to watch." Ivan let out an impish giggle. I gained my footing and stepped and slipped over to Speed's side. He flinched at my touch.

"So…cold…so…can't…" he managed to say. He was shivering as bad as I was.

"Speed…it's me," I said as I stood at his front fender. He opened his eyes just a hair.

"No…nononono…can't…don't…stay…" I frowned. The intercom beeped again.

"His next round of testing is coming up. The room won't be cold for very long." My heart raced, I had to get Speed out of here.

Somehow…


	12. Chapter 12

I noted the melting ice sheets on the walls and the floor. Tiny rivulets rushed to a drain in the center of the room.

"'Chelle…go…hurts…" Speed managed to whimper. The door opened and two cars and two humans moved in. One of the humans grabbed me and pulled me away, despite my not wanting to comply. The two cars herded Speed toward the middle of the room and helped the other human attach a hose to his gas intake. Speed winced as the parking boots slammed against his frame.

"Are you ready to be even more helpless, Miss Reese?" Ivan's voice, sounding like a giddy schoolboy, asked over the intercom. I found the camera and glared straight at it.

"It's a shame no one was there for that Mustang that came in with you. He seemed pretty betrayed. Oh well! He put on quite a show…let's see if we can get an encore performance out of Speed." I was pulled toward the edge of the room as Speed's parking boots were taken off and he was detached from the hose. He looked at me, despair written across his features.

The two lemons disappeared, leaving Speed as the only Machine in the room. I wasn't slipping anymore in the ice, and I could feel some sweat forming under my arms and under my hairline. I didn't realize at some point my ponytail broke, leaving my long hair tangled around me; sticking to me as I started feeling hot.

The human tending to Speed reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a key. She opened Speed's driver door and climbed into his cab. He gasped and winced and his engine struggled to turn over. Finally it started, and the woman revved it a few times, despite Speed fighting it.

"And now the fun begins!" muttered the man holding me back. Speed's demeanor changed, and it seemed like he wasn't fighting the woman anymore. She jumped down from the cab and ran toward the room's door, a playful giggle escaping from her. The man pushed me away and ran as well. My heart raced and I could only stand in place. The door slammed home and I could hear the giant lock clicking into place.

"Speed?" I managed to say. He glared at me, his teeth were clenched and his engine rumbled. Some black smoke hung low behind him, but he didn't seem like he was in pain, unlike a few minutes prior to the abrupt temperature change. The air was getting thick, and there were no vents I could easily climb into to get away. The room was larger than I had thought, as Speed could easily drive in circles if he wanted to. He seemed relatively content with just staring me down though.

"Speed…are you okay…?" It was a stupid question. He suddenly launched forward, missing me by mere inches. I jumped away, not sure what emotion I was feeling. _This isn't him…_ I had to remind myself. He turned around just in time to charge me again. I slightly mused over yelling 'TORO', but decided against it. He was already uncharacteristically trying to kill me. We both stopped moving after a moment. I gasped for fresh air, but the now humid room was full of fumes.

"You see, Miss Reese…he doesn't recognize you. He just sees you as someone to blame for the internal torture he's going through. It's quite remarkable really. Oh, I almost forgot to leave you with a gun…though you might not shoot him. If you can get to the door, there's a gun waiting for you there. Have fun!" Ivan's voice teased. Speed positioned himself between the door and me as if taking joy in adding a challenge. I contemplated my options, but not for long as Speed charged at me again. I dodged and then ran straight for the door, hoping Ivan wasn't just lying about the gun.

A revolver slid through a slit I hadn't noticed in the door. I grabbed the gun and checked to see only one bullet in the chamber. Speed charged me yet again, and I heard the sickening crunch of metal collapsing against something solid. He seemed to be getting worse though as his breathing was also getting heavier. He turned to face me again.

"Speed…control yourself! This isn't you!" I cried. I had the gun, I had one bullet…I had no idea what to do. Speed charged yet again, and this time I slipped on a slick part of the concrete. I landed on my right elbow, shooting pain up my arm. I scrambled to get away, but Speed's front wheel caught my left leg. I bit back the urge to scream as both bones in my leg popped under the force. The edge of my vision darkened and I could see little stars dancing in the darkness.

My right arm shook as I took the weight of the gun. I dared not Ivan get the satisfaction of watching me die. I hopped on my one good leg right up to the corner the camera was in and aimed almost point blank at the black orb. I felt certain I was going to lose my hearing as the shot echoed through the room. Speed recoiled a bit, not knowing I didn't have any more bullets. The camera sparked a little and I knew it was broken. I turned back to Speed, who seemed to calm down a bit, and I tossed the gun aside. I used the wall behind me as a support as I sank down to the floor.

I was slowly losing consciousness, between the exhaust fumes and the humidity of the room, the lack of oxygen made it harder for me to stay awake. Speed's engine died in a painful sounding way, and I could hear him struggling to breathe as well. The door opened and it was as if we were in a vacuum. Cool, refreshing air filled my lungs, and I suddenly felt nauseated.

"Michelle!" called Kevin's voice. I could hear a myriad of voices and everything around me blurred into a colorful blob.

"We need a medic!" was the last thing I heard.


	13. Chapter 13

**Kevin's POV**

"I can't believe she did that!" I yelled, clenching and unclenching my fists in frustration. Michelle just left us! She could have easily just said that Speed wasn't at the bottom of the canyon and we could have all gone to the Allinol plant together. I paced in front of my partner, who had yet to tell me his name and so I dubbed him as Grumpy, as the other C.H.R.O.M.E agents pulled the Blank from the bottom of the hill.

"She and Rod are still at the Allinol plant, though Rod's tracker has just been disabled. We should probably go and assist," Finn informed me, looking rather worried.

OOOOOOOO

"Shawn is with Michelle…though…Shawn is holding Michelle as if she's a hostage…" Zoe stated over the radio. She sent Grumpy images, which were displayed on dash monitors for me to view. Shawn pushed Michelle through a set of double doors.

"Where are they?" I asked Zoe.

"There aren't any cameras in there. Oh no…Rod's being attached to a tank of Allinol."

"We need to get in there…" I said, feeling anxious. Grumpy just sighed.

"You wanna commit suicide? Go for it!" he opened his door for me.

"At least I died trying!" I retorted, jumping out and storming up the plant's driveway. It wasn't long before Grumpy accompanied me, though not quietly. He grumbled the entire time.

"Michelle has just been moved to another room. Speed's in there…oh God…he looks terrible…" Zoe stated through my earpiece, wanting to cry. I felt my throat tighten, but I was angrier more than anything. I broke into a jog. Finn drove past me and turned to face me.

"You are going to need some more help than just Michael's," he said, wielding a small Gatling gun. I took off in a full sprint with Finn and Michael by my side. Finn aimed a rocket at a large garage-like door and fired. The metal door collapsed and guards jumped out of the wreckage like fire ants. Michael skidded in front of me and opened his door for me to dive in.

"Finn and Holley can fend these guys off, we need to get inside. Zoe said Speed's attacking Michelle and Rod's…more than likely not with us…" he explained as we sped past the wave of bullets. Zoe and Maya tag-teamed directions for Michael as he wound through the maze of hallways and rooms. Smoke seeped into the hallway from one set of doors labeled "Testing chamber 1".

"Rod's in there. I'll assist in here with the incoming agents. There are some human agents heading to Michelle's location," Michael explained.

"I'll lead you there," Maya announced through my earpiece.

"Be careful, we don't need to lose any more people," I said to Michael. He made a nodding motion before breaking through the door. Maya guided me through the hallways until I got to a large freezer-looking door. I could hear Speed's engine rev and tires skid as well as a loud crunching sound.

A gunshot went off and things went quiet.

"Michelle!" I yelled, fighting to open the door. More hands appeared and together we opened the door. The first thing I noticed was the amount of heat that fell out of the room, and the fumes were strong. Michelle lay against a wall to the left, and Speed was to the right, equally as worn out looking.

"Michelle!" I said as I slid up to her side. Her left leg was broken and I felt sick looking at the unnatural angle it was held at, but it didn't look too bad…at least I hoped. She looked at me, but I don't think she registered who I was. Her eyes slid closed and her body went limp.

"We need a medic!" I shouted just as two agents ran up to me. They lifted Michelle and rushed her out of the room.

"You need to get out of here quick, we're torching this place as soon as it's cleared!" I heard someone shout. Speed was being towed by a tow truck I hadn't met. I followed agents in the direction I came from. Another tow truck was pulling Rod out of the testing chamber. Rod's body was charred and dented; there was no way he was still alive.

I saw Shawn fighting with another agent in the middle of the testing chamber. I ignored Michael calling my name and walked straight up to Shawn. My fist connected with his jaw.

"That is for hurting Michelle and Speed!" I punched him again. "And that is for betraying a whole lot of people!" The agent he was fighting with slapped handcuffs onto his wrists and dragged him out of the room. Michael, looking relieved to see me actually listening to him for once, offered his door and we took off with the rest of the C.H.R.O.M.E team. As we left the Allinol plant, I could only see a huge fireball rise to the sky.

OOOOOOOO

Maya and Speed were flown back to California where Speed could be treated properly and rehabilitated and Maya could help with the Radiator Springs residents. Kelly was flown back to the hospital where Michelle was under a medical coma. Zoe, Kelly, and I camped in the hospital's waiting room; we hoped that Michelle would pull through; the doctors didn't think her injuries were too serious. The concern was her internal health as she inhaled a lot of toxic fumes when she was in the freezer.

OOOOOOOO

Two weeks went by and Michelle was still in a coma, though doctors felt sure that she was ready to wake. I kept in touch with my friend who was working on Speed. He said the damage was severe, but Speed was pulling through. He would need a lot of therapy however…and that was where my friend couldn't be of help.

"Alright…thanks, man…" I said, hanging up the phone. I explained to Kelly and Zoe what was going on. Kelly had bags under her eyes and her hair had seen better days. Zoe focused her attention on taking apart and putting her gaming system back together. It must have been the third or fourth time she had done it. A nurse by the name of Sue stepped out into the waiting room. She smiled warmly in our direction.

"Kevin, Kelly, Zoe…Michelle's waking up."


	14. Chapter 14

**Michelle's POV**

"Miss Reese?" the voice asked. I tried moving toward it, but I felt as if I was in molasses. Finally my eyes opened, and all I saw was bright white lights.

"Michelle?" Kelly asked leaning over me; everything was blurry. I gave a weak smile at one of the two Kellys and hoped I was right.

"Wh…where am I?" I asked. My throat was raw and caused my voice to crack. The world stopped spinning and I surveyed the hospital room I was in. The window showed a pleasant view of some mountains with fog rolling over the crests. Kevin, Kelly, and Zoe stood to my right and a nurse was fixing an IV bag on my left.

"We're still overseas. Don't worry, C.H.R.O.M.E is paying for it all," Kevin explained. Well that's one relief I didn't think about. The nurse left after adding another dose of Morphine. As my mind cleared of the medicinal fog, other worries took over.

"Speed…Rod…Shawn, Finn…Holley…whe-" Zoe, who was closest, shushed me and put a finger over my mouth. I looked at her crossly, but she came back with a giggle.

"Speed's home now recovering. Shawn was arrested and will probably never see freedom again. That Markovic guy took a cyanide pill when he was captured, so he's no longer alive. Finn and Holley are both okay, and they are wishing you a speedy recovery. Rod…didn't make it." She choked up upon saying his name. Everyone fell silent for a moment, the dead air being filled with the EKG monitor beeping.

"But Allinol is done for?" I asked after the moment was up.

"News stories are spreading right now. Unfortunately there is a lot of damage control that needs to be done," Kelly replied.

"The ranch?"

"It's fine. Who'da thunk that the middle of nowhere would actually be a good thing?" she said with a giggle. I adjusted myself, or tried to. That's when I noticed the clunky cast on my leg and then the brace on my elbow.

"Both bones in your lower leg broke clean and your elbow needed a minor adjustment. They'll send the information to our doctors at home for when you can get your cast off. They were saying you got out lucky though. There was oxygen deprivation and a lot of toxins in your system from the Allinol fumes," Kevin said as he grasped my hand. I surveyed the rest of my body that wasn't covered with bandages. I had some bruises, but I wasn't worried about those as much as I was my leg.

"When can I get my cast off?" Kevin and Kelly exchanged a glance.

"Well, you were in a coma for the last two weeks, and they said with this kind of a break, you should be able to take the cast off in another four weeks. They said that they want you to be on physical therapy though for about two months after, and that's not just for your leg. They also suggested emotional therapy, but they suggested that for a lot of us who were involved," Zoe explained.

"How's Speed?" I asked, my words slurred. I felt like I had asked the question already, but the medicine was kicking in again, and I was fading quickly. Someone noticed my falling asleep.

"He'll be okay," was all they said.

OOOOOOOO

"Siddeley, thank you so much for your help!" I said after we landed at the town's airport. I was in the hospital for another week before they felt I was fit enough to fly home. I made sure they knew I did not want to be there, much to the chagrin of my family. They all avoided answering my questions about Speed's condition; only saying that he was alive and improving.

"Not a problem. Anytime you wanna come visit, you give us a call. You're honorary agents now," he replied with a wink. Justin, Mark, Finn, and Holley all said their goodbyes and promised to place a rose in our names at Rod's memorial. They boarded and within just a few minutes, Siddeley was taxiing to the runway.

Gem and Victoria waited eagerly at the airport's gate. I rode with Gem and Kevin while Zoe and Kelly rode with Victoria.

OOOOOOOO

"I want to see Speed," I demanded as we waited for the ranch gate to open. We were quiet the entire trip from the airport to home. Kevin clenched his jaw, but said nothing.

"I'm just warning you now…he's not right…" Kevin finally replied.

"I want to see him," I repeated. Gem stopped in front of my house and opened her door for me. Kevin jumped out and jogged around to help me out…but I refused.

"He's not here." Kevin looked at me someone perplexed.

"How'd you know?" he asked, holding a hand out for me to balance on. I refused to take it, and remained in my seat.

"Where is he?"

"They had to get a little creative in the arena so he would be more comfortable. Josh said he was in really rough shape when C.H.R.O.M.E got him back here and when Speed first woke up he tried to take down a wall in Josh's garage to get away. He doesn't want to talk to anyone, let alone see anyone. He's afraid of hurting someone else," Kevin explained, still holding his hand out for me. I stared at him for a second, miffed that he didn't say any of this in he last week I was bored out of my mind.

"He knows I'm alive right?"

"He knows."

"But…" I prompted.

"But…he doesn't believe it. He described in great detail what happened, how he felt, and what he saw when he saw you before his engine stalled and we came in. Michelle, I don't know if he's ready to see you yet." I shook my head…it didn't make sense. I would want to see someone if I thought they died but they lived. Then I chuckled inwardly at the fact that I was experiencing that, but was being denied.

"And why would that be?" I asked, thoroughly frustrated at that point.

"Well your crutches for one thing would be a trigger. Your cast…you still have a couple of big bruises. He'll blame himself for all of that. Josh said that Speed's already afraid you hate him now." A small pang of guilt filled my chest. I was so selfish about wanting to see him that I didn't think of these things. I had to see him though and I had to be the one to tell him what the therapist probably said, or what Josh probably said.

"Fine…if you won't take me there, then I'll just go on my own," I snapped. I stood up and started my way toward the arena on my crutches. My elbow protested a little where the muscle was pulled, but I was told it was fine. I bit through the pain and kept going. Gem wheeled around and blocked me.

"Oh no, you need to rest. Besides…we've got company who have been waiting all day to see you." She got close enough to herd me back to the house but not close enough to nudge me.

"Way to ruin the surprise," Kevin said, letting out a nervous chuckle. Gem and I were locked in a staring contest until I heard the mix of voices belonging to my parents and friends.


	15. Chapter 15

The party was nice, but I was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of people in my house. My parents never left my side and everyone centered their attention on me, even though I tried spreading the attention to Zoe, Maya, and Kevin. I guess it was the pity of me having a broken leg, which was thankfully healing faster than the doctors thought.

Since we arrived back in California early afternoon, we had plenty of time to visit with Maya, her family, and the entire ranch community. Everyone filled us in on what happened while we were away.

"…and the buildings were mostly still up," Maya finished. I must have spaced out at one point, because I didn't catch hardly anything she said. My pain medicine must have kicked in.

"But everyone recovered well?" Kevin asked.

"A little shaken, but otherwise they're fine. They would have come with us, but they have strict orders to not go anywhere. Mechanics are just as bad as doctors sometimes," Maya explained. The Wests had to rent a Blank in order to leave town, much to their embarrassment.

"So when did Gem come home?" Kevin asked.

"Probably about a week after you left. She was, like everyone else, in rough shape, but she came home. She's probably one of the few who recovered quickly without problems," explained Joseph. Kevin seemed happy with that and began chatting about something else. Everyone chatted away happily…well mostly.

"Welp…thank you for the welcome home…but I'm going to go see the horses. A little equine therapy is in order," I stated as I stood up and steadied myself on my crutches. Either everyone took the bait, or no one was about to argue with my true intention.

"I'll go too," Kevin said, jumping up from his seat. He cleared a path for me to the door and followed me outside. The chatter inside continued and Kevin turned to look at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"Very subtle," he accused.

"I am!"

"Just the horses?" He stared me down. I broke our gaze with a roll of my eyes and worked my way to the barn.

Fortunately there was enough daylight left for me to see enough of the inside of the barn. I flicked on the lights and was greeted by some curious horses poking their heads over the stall doors.

I reached out and stroked a Paint mare named River. She sniffed at my crutches curiously. Kevin leaned against another stall door quietly watching.

"So how long are you going to put on this display? I know where you want to go…and the answer is still no."

"And why not?"

"I've already told you. Besides, I don't want you yelling at Josh for the fact that Speed's still beat up. Josh can only do so much before Speed goes berserk. Parts are still on their way too, so right now all that can be done is keep him comfortable." I hobbled past him, but he jumped in front of me and effectively blocked my path.

"Let me go see him." I shoved past him, and almost lost my balance. I gave him my best death glared, though I knew I was drugged, so I probably just looked foolish. He sighed.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. Let me go grab a cart at least." To add on to the confusion that is the Machine race, golf carts weren't affected, and we were able to find some to take the workload off of Speed.

OOOOOOOO

Kevin parked the golf cart between the outdoor arenas and the indoor ring. I hopped inside the arena and noted half of the lights were still on at the far end. There was a temporary fence partitioning half of the arena off, and black tarps were tied to block curious eyes from seeing through the fence. On one corner there was a small gate as well as a pile of metal pieces and a toolbox.

I looked over the metal pieces curiously. Some of them I recognized as engine parts…but only just. The metal was eaten through at spots.

"Josh said the Allinol was acidic, which is partially why they went mad," Kevin whispered. His voice was so low that I almost didn't hear it. He opened the gate as carefully as possible, though it still rattled the fence.

Speed was parked as far away from the gate as possible, but facing toward us. I hopped in and went about a quarter of the way in and stopped. Kevin stayed back, but kept the gate open for me, assuming there would be a problem.

"M…Michelle?" Speed asked, looking someone bewildered. He was resting on the ground. He was missing a headlight and he had dents and scrapes of various sizes all over his body. He had cracked windows too, and there was a large one on his windshield over his left eye, which was still closed even though his other eye was open.

"Hey you," I said with a smile. He struggled to push himself up, but after a moment, he was up on his wheels.

"You…you're alive…bu…but I heard your bones…I saw…you were limp…" His voice was raw sounding and his breathing was getting faster. I shuffled toward him, but saw him recoil from my movement, despite the distance already between us.

"Hey…hey…it's just a broken leg." I showed him the cast, which was covered with signatures from friends and agents back at C.H.R.O.M.E.

"I…I'm sorry. I…hurt you…I almost killed you…" he was borderline sobbing at this point, and it only caused me to want to hug him. I moved a little closer.

"No! Please…stay…stay back." He tried making himself smaller in the corner. He flinched when he backed into the tarp. His good eye was wide with terror and even from halfway across the arena I could tell he was shaking.

"It's okay, Hon." I kept my voice low.

"I…I don't wanna hurt you again…"

"You're not going to hurt me, silly. Now, I'm going to go now. I gotta get off of these crutches before I fall over or something. Do you want the lights on or off?" When I turned around to Kevin, I could see the confusion in his face, but I knew exactly what I was doing.

"Michelle…wait…"


	16. Chapter 16

"…please…" Speed's voice was small, pleading. I gave Kevin a small smile before turning around. Speed had started rolling toward me, though his movement was slow and painful to watch. I covered the distance and was soon about a meter away from him. When he changed his focus from driving to me, he looked worried.

"…You…you sure I won't…" He eyed my crutches and cast nervously and rolled back a little.

"That wasn't you in that freezer…or whatever it was. Someone was controlling you…driving you insane…uh…pardon the pun." I giggled slightly. Speed rolled back even more and he collapsed from the movement. He took a few short breaths, probably trying to wait for any pain to subside. He looked pitiful, and I was close to crying for him.

"…I…I'm sorry…I…sor…ry…" he whimpered and closed his eye. I hobbled out to his good side and rested a hand where there weren't any dents or scratches. He shivered at my touch, but after a moment he leaned in and I heard a mix between a sob and a hiccup. Tears prickled behind my eyes, but I didn't want to start sobbing either in front of him. He shook as he cried and leaned more into me. I hummed some random tune and moved my thumb around in little circles until his breathing evened out and he was asleep.

As quietly as I could, I shuffled back to the gate and slipped through. Kevin took his time closing the gate and we hurried back to the golf cart.

OOOOOOOO

Once we got back to the house, Kevin pulled into the garage with the golf cart and we both sat in the quiet darkness. I could hear some more chatter in the living room, but it sounded like people were bunking down for the night. Suddenly, I couldn't hold my emotions back anymore, and sobbed into my hands. Kevin wrapped me in a tight hug and simply held me.

"He'll pull through. He's always pulled through," he cooed. I sniffed and nodded. Kelly stepped out at that point and I could see her looking knowingly at Kevin. She wordlessly helped me out of the golf cart and to my room where everything was set for me to elevate my leg.

OOOOOOOO

Kevin helped Josh out with Speed the next day. They set up spot for me to sit with my leg propped, as I was too stubborn to stay in bed for the remainder of being in a cast. Speed was still a nervous wreck whenever people were around, but Josh noted that Speed was calmer than the previous sessions. Josh and Kevin talked in few words and more pantomiming when they could to keep any noise to a minimum. Whenever Josh moved on to the next step, he would take a break to let Speed relax. He explained during one break that it hurt Speed too much to just keep going.

OOOOOOOOO

**A few weeks later**

"My leg reeks!" I complained after the cast was taken off. My skin looked horrible, but my leg wasn't hurting and the x-ray confirmed I was healed, but I wasn't expecting to smell rotten. Kelly chuckled at my reaction.

"Be careful when you scrub around the scar, it's still soft," the doctor explained as he did a rub down. It tingled as the wipe touched my skin, but just in the short wash he did, my leg didn't look quite so gross. 

"I can wiggle my toes again!" I giggled as I demonstrated. I felt happier than I had been in a long time. The doctor handed me a packet.

"Here's your physical therapy schedule. Since there are still strict orders that Machines stay immobile for a while, I am going to have to trust you do your exercises," the doctor stated, looking over his clipboard. I was given a walking boot and escorted out of the hospital to Zoe and our cart.

"How you feelin'?" Zoe asked after helping me into the cart.

"Like I can walk again, but I'm lopsided," I noted as the boot added an inch of height to my left side.

OOOOOOOO

Kevin waited with the golf cart as soon as we got home. He had a huge grin on his face and he scooped me up into a hug even before I could settle on the ground.

"Someone wants to see you," he whispered in my ear. We got into the cart and he drove us over to the arena. Meanwhile he held his grin and didn't say anything. For a week Josh and Kevin didn't want me around while they did more work on Speed. I forgot the reasoning, but I was just happy to know Speed was having fewer panic attacks and that he was actually getting better.

"The stickers are still on their way," Kevin said before driving into the arena. The temporary fence and tarp were taken away and all the old metal pieces were gone. Josh was the only one in the arena though.

"Where's Speed?" I asked, confused.

"Needed some fresh air. He's been inside for like two months, he probably misses the sun," Josh said with a chuckle. He whistled and within a minute, Speed rolled in from the outside.

"Now, some of my buddies helping in town said there is going to be some recovery going on, even after everything's been replaced. That means he can't go mudding, probably shouldn't pull a trailer for a little while, and he should take it slow with how much weight he carries when he helps with feeding," Josh explained. I hobbled over to Speed and I gave him my best hug. He looked like new. The only things missing were the stickers for the ranch, but he was alive, and that's all I cared about.

OOOOOOOO

Both races took a toll in their respective populations because of the Allinol incident. There was a lot of rebuilding needing to be done all over the world, and more laws were put in place to protect both parties from even further destruction of our world.

Speed recovered fully physically after a few weeks, though he was still wary of being around people. He hardly left my side where possible, and he would only talk to me and sometimes Kevin. However, he was improving as days went by and he was feeling less paranoid. I knew it was only a matter of time before he bounced back to his usual self.

My leg healed fully and I was finally off of physical therapy, which meant I could ride horses again. I rode two days in a row before regretting that decision. I was so sore I almost couldn't move. Muscles I forgot about ached, but that didn't stop me from finally going back to my normal…ish life!


End file.
